Formation of ethyl esters of long chain carboxylic acids

Ethanol was extracted from the aqueous phase of fermentation into octane in a hollow fibre membrane module and converted using long-chain carboxylic a cids into the corresponding esters by immobilized lipase in a reactor integ rated into the octane recycle loop. The esters separated from the acids by extraction were recovered and acids and the residue esters re-extracted int o octane and recycled. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.